'Forensic invesigations are still under way but the expelled students were among the suspects.'
Bhembe also said that an empty container that had possibly been used to carry the substance used to start the fire had been found at the scene.
The fire occurred shortly after the department announced the school's governing body's decision to expel the two boys, who were caught on camera beating a grade 8 pupil on January 30.A third pupil who was also part of the assault was given two weeks' suspension and told not to conduct himself in a similar manner in the future.
In the 24-second video, a bigger boy confronts the victim and keeps asking him what he is saying, while smacking him on the head. The younger boy, with his backpack still strapped to his back, does not reply. Instead he covers his head to protect himself from the series of blows. Another boy then joins in the pummeling. He smacks and punches the victim before a third attacker joins in, also slapping the victim.
A family member of the victim told TimesLIVE last month the bigger pupil was a prefect who had admonished some pupils for stoning the security guards' houses near the school. According to the victim, the prefect turned on him when he also chimed in to reprimand the group, accusing him of trying to"take his job".
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